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During the debates of PACE Winter Session the members of the Armenian Delegation continued actively taking part, making use of every occasion for referring to the problems concerning Armenia on the European agenda, despite the fact that issues regarding Armenia had not been included in the works of this session.

On January 26, the Head of the RA NA Delegation, PACE and NA Vice President Hermine Naghdalyan in the dispute urgently held on the theme The Situation in Syria and Its Impact on the Surrounding Countries handed over her speech to PACE Secretariat, where she raised the issue of the destruction of the Armenian settlements, churches, cultural centres and the great number of the Syrian Armenian refugees.

The NA Vice President considered is grave concern for Armenia the situation unfolding in and around Syria, as we live in the immediate neighbourhood of the Middle East. On numerous occasions Armenia has condemned the crimes committed by ISIS and other terrorist groups, which threaten the people of the region and beyond.

Welcoming in the name of our country the established ceasefire regime in this severe situation and expressing hope that it will lead to a lasting peace, the RA NA Vice President in her speech underlined that the war in Syria had a devastating impact on its civilian population and infrastructures.

“The violence in the Middle East has not bypassed Armenians, one of the traditional communities of Syria, Iraq and other countries of the region. Many of them lost their lives in terrorist attacks and hostilities. The Armenian settlements, churches, schools and cultural institutions were destroyed,” Mrs Naghdalyan documented, at the same adding that the grateful Armenian people will never forget that one hundred years ago Armenian refugees found shelter in many Arab countries after the Armenian Genocide in Turkey.

“Today thousands of Armenians, together with other people of the Middle East, again are forced to abandon the places of residence. From Syria alone more than 20 thousand Armenians found refuge in Armenia, making our country the third largest recipient of Syrian refugees in Europe on per capita basis” Hermine Naghdalyan noted.

The RA NA Vice President has informed that Armenia has undertaken considerable efforts in assisting and integration of the refugees. We have been offering accelerated asylum procedures, facilitated provision of residence permits and naturalization for the refugees. The state supports them in setting up businesses, provides durable housing, free medical assistance and scholarships.

“We believe that the issue of Syrian refugees as well as the general issue of refugees and their protection should be more adequately addressed by international community,” in her speech the Head of the Armenian Delegation to PACE expressed conviction, welcoming Cyprus’ initiative to mark the protection of cultural heritage as a priority for its Chairmanship at the Committee of Minister of the Council of Europe

“We all became culturally poorer after the barbaric destructions that happened around Syria during this war: Palmyra, and Citadel of Aleppo are vivid examples. As citizens of this world, we are responsible and must make every effort possible to prevent the destruction of cultural monuments in wartime and, especially, in peace,” Hermine Naghdalyan concluded her speech.